Kansas woman found dead after grizzly bear attack near Yellowstone

The body of a woman was found on Saturday in Montana after she encountered a grizzly bear while hiking a trail near Yellowstone National Park. 

The woman’s body was found on the Buttermilk Trail in the Custer Gallatin National Forest west of Yellowstone National Park near the Montana town of West Yellowstone, according to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. 

Investigators determined that the woman most likely died after a bear attack after discovering the tracks of the large animal and at least one cub near the death scene. 

The woman was identified as 48-year-old Amie Adamson from Kansas. Bear specialists and other authorities confirmed that the wounds she had sustained were consistent with that of a bear attack.

"At the time of her death, Amie was hiking or running onto the trail and would often do so in the early morning," the department said. "After investigation, the bear attack did not appear to be predatory.

Amie's cause of death was determined to be exsanguination due to a bear mauling. The manner is accidental."

The department said they launched an investigation into the grizzly bear attack and immediately closed the area where the woman was found to prevent further attacks from taking place. 

In the weeks leading up to the death, the department issued a statement warning hikers of a rise in Montana’s grizzly bear population and sightings “particularly in areas between the Northern Continental Divide and the Great Yellowstone ecosystems.”

Park visitors and campers have been warned to carry bear spray and store their food while outside. "Watch for signs of bears such as bear scat, diggings, torn-up logs and turned over rocks, and partly consumed animal carcasses," the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks added. 

The grizzly bear is a protected species that can be found throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which includes Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. According to the National Park Service, the odds of being attacked by a bear are 1-in-2.7 million.